Apple is preparing for another step in changing its approach to affordable laptops. This time, the company is surprising with a rather unexpected decision: the 13-inch MacBook is going to be equipped with a chip designed for the iPhone. This move could significantly change the market for budget laptops and at the same time strengthen the company’s ecosystem.
Budget MacBook with A18 Pro chip
Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple is working on a new low-cost laptop that will use the A18 Pro processor — the same one used in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to Kuo, this 13-inch MacBook could be introduced in late 2025 or early 2026.
This will be the first MacBook with an A-series mobile processor, as Apple’s laptops have been using M-series chips, which have a different architecture and performance. However, Geekbench 6 benchmarks show that the A18 Pro has quite competitive performance: about 3400 points in single-core mode and 8500-8600 in multi-core mode. This is almost at the level of M1 (about 8500 in multi-core mode) and slightly below M4 (3400-3700 in single-core mode). So for most daily tasks, this should be more than enough.
Apple is preparing this model as a budget solution. According to Kuo, the company plans to sell 5 to 7 million units of such MacBooks in 2026. In addition to the technical characteristics, the laptop will be able to stand out with its design: a variety of body colors are expected, including silver, blue, pink, and yellow. In this way, Apple continues to experiment with colors, similar to those already used in the iMac line and the new MacBook Air.
It is not yet known exactly how much the new MacBook will cost, but its price is likely to be below $999 — that’s how much the basic MacBook Air. For example, the M3 Air model has already been on sale for $799, and a used one with an M1 chip, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage can be purchased for $649. For a new product to make sense, its price should be even lower.
It is possible that Apple is creating this laptop with an eye toward students, educational institutions, and users who need a device for basic tasks such as email, browsing, and documents. This way, the company will be able to compete not only with inexpensive Chromebookand with mid-budget Windows laptops.
It is also known that the reference design is being developed by Everwin Precision from Shenzhen, China. In addition to the laptop, it is allegedly preparing cases for Apple’s future smart glasses, which are scheduled for release in 2027. The glasses will have an audio system, a camera, and a video recording function, but without a screen — instead, they will support AI environmental sensors.
If Ming-Chi Kuo’s predictions come true, Apple could create a completely new niche — a lightweight, stylish, and inexpensive MacBook for the masses based on a mobile chip. This will be a new step in the development of the Apple ecosystem and an interesting alternative for those looking for a compact, energy-efficient laptop at an adequate price.
Source: tomshardware
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